A 4-year-old German Shepherd rescued from the Junction City Animal Shelter has been awarded for her work as a police K9. According to the Geary Co. Sheriff’s office, Nova was awarded the ‘2021 Detector Dog Case of the Year’ for her keen sniffing skills during a traffic stop in October 2020. Officials say Nova was deployed and indicated to a drug odor coming from the vehicle, which led to deputies uncovering 95 pounds of methamphetamine. Nova, and handler Captain Justin Stopper attended the annual Heart of America Police Dog Association certification event held in Ankeny, Iowa on Sept. 26th. The duo received the award during the event. Nova was rescued from the Junction City animal shelter in late 2018. The Geary Co. Sheriff’s Office says she was severely abused, malnourished, and showed visible signs of her muzzle being bound shut. Officials say while Nova still shows signs of her abuse in scars, “she welcomes the opportunity to socialize with anybody she meets and loves to work.”
